Steering devices



Nov. 12, 1963 o. J. BRATZ 3,110,193

STEERING DEVICES Filed Feb. 26, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 F/GZ F763 r A! is INVENTOR. 0770 I BRA 7'Z /mnwmm Nov. 12, 1963 o. J. BRATZ 3,110,193

STEERING DEVICES Filed Feb.' 26, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 69 0770 I BRATZ Nov. 12, 1963 o. J. BRATZ 3,110,193

STEERING DEVICES Filed Feb. 26, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TOR.

OTTU I BEA TZ United States Patent DEVECES Gtto Ii. Bratz, Adrian, liieh, assignor to American Chain 8; Cable Company, inc, New York, Nib, a corporation of New Yorlr Filed Feb. 2-6, 1959, Ser. No. 11,178 it Qlaims. (Cl. 74-531) This invention relates to Steering devices for boats, and more particularly to steering devices for outboard-driven craft, although not necessarily limited to such.

The development of high output outboard motors has adapted them to use in boats which should not be steered from the stern, and has given rise to various expedients for provision of a helm in the proper position for the helrnsman to see where he is going. "i" ler ropes and a wheel having a drum is the usual arrangement, but it has numerous disadvantages, having sometimes lost motion, and readily fouling on objects loose in the boat.

Push-pull devices have been devised to obviate these disadvantages, but, compared to the tiller rope arrangement, are relatively expensive. The cost is, however, capable of great reduction if mass production techniques are employed. In spite of the large number of craft on the water, the number of any one model remains small. Each boat requires a cable of a certain length, and, a certain travel of the cable from full right to full left rudder.

In addition to these requirements, it is necessary that provision be made to run the cable down either side of the boat, and that a right turn of the steering wheel make the cable push or pull, depending upon the particular rig by means of which the cable is secured to the tiller.

The present invention relates to the helm, that is, the wheel and associated parts which cause reciprocation of a flexible cable within a conduit leading from the helm to the tiller mechanism.

In view of the above, it is a primary object of this invention to provide a device for boat steering which utilizes a push-pull cable as the motion transmitting medium.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device for boat steering which has a readily adjustable range of motion.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a helm device which does not unduly strain the push-pull mechanism employed.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a helm mechanism which can be utilized to provide a push or a pull on the flexible cable employed upon rotation of the wheel in a given direction.

Referring now to the drawings, two embodiments are shown, in which:

FIG. 1 is a general view, with parts broken away, of one form of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial section on line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial section taken at line 33 of HG. 1; FIG. 4 is a partial section taken on line i4 of FIG. 1; FIG. 5 is a general view, with parts broken away, of

another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a section taken on line 6-5 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a partial section on line '77 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a partial section on line 8-3 of FIG. 5;

PK 9 is a view, similar to 5, of the device assembled for opposite hand steering; and,

FIGS. 1G to l3 are diagrammatic showings of the various types of installation to which the mechanism is adapted.

Two forms of the device are shown. Each form is capable of all of the adjustments required, but the adjustments are made by different means. In the case of the form shown in FIG. 1, all adjustments are made by taking the cover 05 and rearranging the interior parts as required. 'In the other form, certain adjustments can be made by detaching parts from the exterior while other adjustments require disassembly.

The device shown in FlG. 1 comprises essentially a circular member which rotates in response to the wheel movement, around which member the cable wraps or unwraps, depending on the motion. As shown, a base plate 10, made for convenience and lightness of a metal stamping with a down-turned rim ll, forms the main support for the entire structure. Secured to the rear thereof is a bracket 12, consisting of a sheet of metal formed with a rear wall 34 and side walls 15, suitable flanges 16 being provided for securing the bracket to the base plate 16.

is bracket serves as a convenient means for mounting the entire device on a suitable support in the boat, by means of screws or bolts passing through openings in the bracket. This bracket also serves another purpose as will presently appear.

On the opposite side of the base plate it from the bracket there is provision for a rotating ring gear 18, which is to be rotated in response to helm movement. To properly support the ring gear for rotation, a large number of studs 19 is provided, in circular array. 'It has been found that a number of rollers Ell arranged on spaced studs are sufiicient to provide beming for the ring and permit its smooth rotation. These rollers 28' are made of any material desired, but it has been found that nylon is a particularly suitable material, as its yielding qualities permit a fairly ti ht fit of the circle of rollers around the ring, without requiring a high finish on the ring bearing surface. Also, they make the operation of the entire device quiet. Of course, the anti-friction characteristics and long-wearing qualities of nylon, which would be effective in the bearin relationship between the ins l9 and the bores of the rollers 2% are well known.

The periphery of the ring 18 is provided with a groove 21, wide enough to receive the cable 22 of the push-pull device, and, for various reasons, somewhat deeper than it is wide. The end of the cable 22 is secured to the ring in any manner desired but the simplest method is by means of a series of set screws 23 threaded into one side of the ring, bearing against the cable. A pin 24 passing through the ring serves as a means for locating the end of the cable.

The particular rig used at the tiller end of the pushpull control determines whether a push of the cable turns the boat to the left or to the right. In the'arrangement shown in FIG. 1, a right turn of the helm wheel causes the cable 22 to be pulled around the ring. If a push on the cable is desired for this wheel rotation, the pin 24- is inserted in the opening 25, and the cable wound around the ring gear in the opposite direction from that shown. The conduit terminal is also altered in position, as will be explained.

When the ring 18 is rotated to the right, the cable 22 is wrapped around the ring, as would be any flexible member. tion, however, means must be provided for keeping it in the groove 21. For this reason, each pin 19 (except those where the'terminal is located) is provided with a roller 26 so proportioned as to enter the groove 21 and bear against the cable 22. These rollers 25 are also preferably of nylon, for smoothness of operation. It can be seen that if the rollers 26 are of the proper size, and close enough together, they will be very effective in preventing backlash or lost motion as the Wheel is rotated in opposite direct-ions. Also, the frictional resistance to rotation, in any event with this construction very small, will be practically the same in either direction.

As will be understood, a conduit must be placed with its end secured to the fixed portion of the device so far described. For this purpose, a terminal block 27 is pro- When the ring is rotated in the opposite direcvided. This terminal block is preferably pro ided with a bore through which the cable 22 is led tangentially to the periphery of the groove 21. The conduit 28 is se cured in any convenient manner. to the block 27, as by a fitting threaded into the block. It was mentioned before that the direction of winding of the cable should be capable of alteration. For this reason, the block 27 is made symmetrical about a plane passing through the center of the cable bore, and parallel to the plane of the base plate. It can, therefore, be installed with either side up, as may be required.

The position of the terminal block with respect to the base plate should be adjustable, to adapt the gear to various boat mountings. For this reason, the pins 19 extend in a complete circle around the base plate, and the block is mounted by being simply slipped over some of them.

In moments of stress and danger, a helmsman often turns the wheel to its utmost in one direction or the other, often with considerable strength and violence. It is very necessary that such movement be limited to the proper amount, and, as can be expected, such amount varies with the particular boat and tiller arrangement. In order to reduce the strain on all parts by the stopping of the motion of the wheel, a stop should be provided at the wheel itself. mechanism is provided. A shoulder 29 is machined in the back of the ring gear, which is, however, interrupted in the region of the point of attachment of the cable to the ring gear, thus furnishing two abutments 30. A pair of plates 31, provided with three holes for passing over selected pins 19, rest close to the base plate, and by engagement with the shoulders 3%, limit the rotation of the ring to the desired amount.

It will be observed that one plate is under the block 27. If this plate is used alone, it serves thefunction of preventing rotation of the wheel to such an extent that, upon a turn to the left an unwinding of the secured portion of the cable takes place. Such would kink the cable. Similarly, rotation in the opposite direction is halted by the plate before overwinding takes place, which would cause jamming. Because of the width of material be tween the shoulders 3%), the plates need not be as long as shown, which is the reason for the cut-out forming abutment 32 on each plate. The narrow portion of each plate clears the abutments 3% on the ring, and merely serves to provide an additional attachment hole.

Any convenient means of rotating the ring may be used. it could be in the form of a disc, with an axle for the wheel, if desired. However, the shown form is preferable, employing a pinion 3 3 on a shaft, the pinion set to mesh with internal teeth on the ring gear. To provide a suitable bearing, a bushing is mounted in bored openings in the base plate and in the bracket 13.

To close the whole mechanism in, a cover plate 36 is provided. As shown, holes are provided for alternate pins, while struck up portions 37 are provided for the remaining pins. The struck up portions 37 are to limit inward movement of the cover, to prevent any undue friction between the two plates and the ring gear. To the same end, each plate has a struck in circular portion, 38 and 39, to provide bearing surfaces between which the ring is retained.

' .The cover plate may be retained in place by any method desired, but it has been found that all that is necessary is the provision of a few cotter pins, as at 4%, which is preferable to nutsor other threaded fasteners, which require special arrangements to prevent binding of the ring between the covers.

.It is to be understood that the device is normally supplied assembled and that it may be disassembled simply by sliding the various components from the pins. After that, reassembly in the manner desired is obvious.

The described device is capable of use in the various arrangements which utilize push-pull devices for steering. For example, assembled as shown in FIG. 1, it will steer For this purpose, an adjustable stop 4 the arrangement of FIG. 11 and that of FIG. 13 in the direction normally desired. That is, the boat will steer as an automobile. To steer the arrangements of FIGS. 10 and 12 as an automobile, the cable must be reversed as described.

Open boats have the helm at the right or the left at the whim of the purchaser or possibly due to local custom. To change the described device for steering from the opposite side of the boat requires that the entire device he disassembled. ,In the case of twin engined boats, as exemplified by FlGS. 11 and 12, the owner often shifts his helm from one side to the other because of space limitations, or other exigencies.

For this reason, and other, the form of helm shown in FIGS. to 9 was devised. it is characterized by the fact that it can be adapted from the application to the boat shown in FEG. to that shown in FIGS. 11 and 13 with the minimum of mechanical change, and is adapted to use in the boat shown in FIG. 12 with no change except in its position in the boat.

Referring particularly to the showings in FIGS. 5 to 8 inclusive, the structure includes a bottom plate 50 having an upturned rim 51, having an array of pins 52 equidistant from the center of the plate, and equally spaced. Each of these pins is capable of supporting roller means or the terminal blocks necessary. A top plate 53 is provided having a downturned rim 5 2-, and a series of struckup recesses to receive the pins. All of the recesses 55 are blind holes. Circular ribs 56 are provided upon which it is intended the moving ring is to slide.

In order to hold the two plates 50 and 53 in assembled relation, five bolts 57 are shown. The plates 54} and 53 are held in proper spaced relation by spacers 53, through which bolts 57 pass, which are connected by integral webs 59 to form a spider. Of course, separate spacing sleeves could be employed, but the spider makes for easy assembly and also serves another purpose.

For mounting the steering wheel shaft, an elongated tubular member 60 is provided, which has a foot 61 adapted to be bolted to the case formed by the two plates. As shown, three of the bolts 57 secure the foot 61 to the case. By merely removing the three bolts, and reattaching the foot to the opposite side of the case, the device is adapted to be utilized on the opposite side of the boat, as, for example, would be necessary in changing from the arrangement of FIG. 10 to that of FIG. 13. The assembly of FIG. 5, by such an operation, becomes that of FIG. 9. It will he apparent that the webs 59 retain the spacers 58 in position when this change is made, provided the two bolts 57 not holdin the foot 61 are not disturbed.

In order that this simple change shall not require a change in mounting brackets, the mounting means for the entire device is attached to the tube 68. It is in the form of a conical fairing piece 62. As shown, this fairing piece has a bore 63 for the reception of the tube 60, to which it is secured by means of a set screw 64- which enters a conical blind hole in the tube 65). Studs 65 are utilized to secure the fairing piece to the boat dash or other part of the boat structure which is to support the helm.

A pinion 66 is utilized to drive the ring gear 67, and, in order to permit the shift of the wheel from one side of the case to the other, the pinion is provided with a protruding shaft 68 on one side of the case and a similar shaft 69 on the other. any means desired, the shown securing means being sim ply 'a collar 71, fast on the shaft 70 and pinned by a removable pin 72 to the selected shaft 68 or 69. The screw 73 shown on FIG. 6 is intended to bear against the bearing 74. For those boatmen who wish the wheel to have a sufiiciently stifi action to remain in a selected position, the screw 73 can be tightened enough to cause the bearing 74 to bind enough to impart the desired frictional 'drag against wheel rotation.

The interior arrangements can be as described in the first form, except that it is not necessary to provide for The wheel shaft 76) may be secured thereto by the reversal of the direction of wrapping of the cable. However, certain variations are illustrated.

The ring 67 is as in the other form provided with a groove 75 extending completely around its circumference for the reception of the cable 76, not shown in FIG. 5 for clarity, but appearing in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 in sect-ion. A small diameter pin 77, shown in FIG. 7, occupies a hole drilled in the cable and serves to hold it in place. As the actual construction of the cable is a stranded structure, provided with a mapped-around steel strip, such drilling can be done as the cable is in position during assembly. Set screws at other points, and a stop pin at 78, as before described, assure that the cable 76 will not be displaced by any normally expected load.

A series of rollers 79 is provided to retain the cable in its proper position, that is, in close contact with the bottom of the groove 75. For ease of assembly, and other reasons, the rollers 79 are mounted on a semicircular strip 89, for free rotation around pins 52. This mounting can be in any convenient fashion, but the method actually employed is to place a washer 81 on a shoulder machined in the roller, and rivet over the roller at 82. The inner edge of strip 30 is just below the tread of each roller 7?, and, as shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 8, has a struck-up portion 83 between each pair of rol ers, that extends into an imaginary circle tangent to the bottom of the treads of the rollens. Thus, in the event that the motor is struck from the side in a collision in such a manner as to throw a compressive overload on the cable 75, the upstruck portions prevent kinking of the cable between the rollers.

T he ring 6; can be supported by separate rollers, as was done in the first described form of the device, but it has been found that the rollers 79 and the smaller diameter rollers 34 can be integral without introducing an excessive amount of friction, although theoretically there should be sliding. The slight manufacturing clearances necessary seem to be sufhcient to cause the two portions 76 and 84 to operate Without any excesive friction.

The portion or" the ring not engaged by rollers 84 integral with rollers 76 may be supported by cylindrical rollers 35, such as shown in FIG. 7, if desired. Of course, it such rollers are employed, they can be easily assembled on the pins 52 before the ring is put in place. In the event that stepped rollers, like that shown in FIG. 8 are required on t 1e left hand portion of FIG. 5, because of the extended range of movement of the ring 67, they may be substituted for rollers 85 as may be necessary. Spring washers as secure rollers 85 in place.

A stop means is employed to limit rotation of the ring 7, as was before described. A portion of the periphery of the ring 67 is removed, leaving the portion 87 of reduced diameter, except in the region 88 shown in FIG. 5. Stop plates 89 and 99, respectively, engage shoulders 91 and 92 to limit the rotation of the ring. These plates may also be secured in place by spring washers 93 around the pins 52.

A conduit 94 is anchored by means of the anchorage 5, which is held in place by three of the pins 52 as in the form previously described. The passage for the strand is in part formed by the two surfaces 96 and 97, shown in FIG. 5. As the element 93, which bears the surface 96 is desirably in close contact with the bottom of the groove in which the cable 76 is located, it is made in the form of a separate piece, pivoted to the pin 52A, the cable pushing it against the bottom of the groove in the ring 67. For ease of assembly, the tongue 98 is loosely attached to the anchor 95 by a pin 19 which may be loose in either 5 or 98, but fitting the other closely enough to stay in place.

For the purpose of enclosing the entire device, the space between the plates 56 and 53 may be filled with a rubber gasket 11th). This gasket is preferably moulded with a sleeve 131 to cover the portion of the anchorage exterior of the casing, and is kept in place by a comparatively thin metal sleeve 1G2 extending around itsinterior periphery.

I claim:

1. A boat steering device including a base plate, a circular ring element rotatable relative to said base plate and formed with a circumferential groove of greater depth than width, a flexible member extending tangentially into said groove and secured in said groove to said ring element, whereby upon rotation of said ring element in one direction said flexible member becomes wound thereon in said groove and upon rotation of said ring element in the opposite direction said flexible element becomes unwound erefrorn, a circular array of pins mounted on said base plate substantially completely surrounding said ring element, rollers mounted on said pins providing a first set of roller elements engaging the periphery of said ring element and a second set of roller elements of substantially the same width as said groove extending into said groove into position to engage said flexible member, said first set of roller elements holding said ring element centered about its axis of rotation and said second set of roller elements holding said flexible member against outward displacement from said groove, and means within the ring iournalled on the base plate and operatively engaging said ring for imparting rotary motion thereto.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a terminal block holding said flexible member in tangential relation to the groove in said ring element, said terminm block being removably mounted on a plurality of said pins.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, comprising stop means aflixed to said base plate, a first abutment on said ring element in position to engage with said stop means when said flexible member is substantially completely unwound from said ring element, and a second abutment on said ring element in position to engage said stop means when said flexible member is wound on said ring member through substantially the entire circumference thereof.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, in which the stop means is removably mounted on a plurality of the pins.

5. Apparatus according to claim in which a group of said rollers is rotatabiy secured to an arcuate strip member in fixed spacial position relative to one another, whereby such group of rollers may be mounted on and demounted from said pins as a unit.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, in which said strip member includes projections extending into the circumferential groove of the ring element between adjacent pairs of rollers and holding the flexible member against displacement outwardly of the groove through the space between the rollers.

7. A boat steering device including a base plate, a circular internal gear ring rotatable relative to said base plate and formed with a circumferential groove of greater depth than width, a flexible member extending tangentialiy into said groove and secured in said groove to said ring, whereby upon rotation of said gear ring in one direction said flexible member becomes wound thereon in said groove and upon rotation of said gear ring in the opposite direction said flexible element becomes unwound therefrom, a circular array of pins mounted on said base plate substantially completely surrounding said ring, rollers mounted on said pins providing a first set of roller elements engaging the periphery of said ring and a second set of roller elements of substantially the same Width as said groove extending into said groove into position to engage said flexible member, said first set of roller elements holding said gear ring centered about its axis of rotation and said second set of roller elements holding said flexible member against outward displacement from said groove, a cover plate overlying said gear ring and rollers on the opposite sides thereof from said base plate, a pinion engaging said gear ring, and a pinion shaft support'ng said pinion and journalled on opposite sides thereof in said base plate and in said cover plate.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, comprising a bracket mountable on either side of said device in potion thereto, a push-pull assembly comprising a casing.

and a flexible member axially slidable in said casing, said flexible member extending from said casing tangentially into the circumferential groove of said ring element and secured in said groove to said ring element, whereby upon rotation of said ring element in one direction said flexible member becomes wound thereon in said groove and upon rotation of said ring element in the opposite direction said flexible element becomes unwound therefrorn, a circular array of pins mounted on said base plate substantially completely surrounding said ring element, rollers mounted on said pins holding said ring element centered about its axis of rotation and holding said flexible member against outward displacement from said groove, a terminal block supporting said flexible member in tangential relation relative to said ring element, said terminal block being removably mounted on a plurality of said pins, :Whereby the direction in which said terminal block faces relative to a given direction of rotation of the ring element may be reversed by removing it from said pins and remounting it thereon in the opposite direction, and means for securing said casing to said terminal block.

10. Apparatus of the character described comprising 8. a base plate, a circular internal gear ring rotatable relative to said base plate and formed with a circular groove, a flexible member extendingntangentially into said groove and secured in said groove to said ring, whereby upon rotation of said gear ring in one direction said flexible member becomes wound thereon in said groove and upon rotation of said gear ring in opposite direction said flexible element becomes unwound therefrom, a circular array of pins mounted on said base member substantially completely surrounding said ring, rollers mounted on said pins holding said gear ring centered about its axis of rotation and holding said flexible member against outward displacement from said groove, a cover plate overlying said gear ring androllers on the opposite side thereof from said base plate, a pinion engaging said gear ring, a pinion shaft secured to said pinion and extending through both said base plate and said cover plate, bracket secured to one of said plates, an actuating shaft journalled Within said bracket and releasable means connecting said actuating shaft to said pinion shaft, said bracket being mountable selectively on either of said plates.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,189,615 Rampacher Feb. 6, 1940 2,260,321 How Oct. 28, 1941 2,568,559 Nolde Sept. 18, 1951 2,767,596 Simon et al. Oct. 2 9 2,890,595 Loefiler- June 16, 1959 2,948,162 Bing Aug. 9, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 625,181 France ..a Aug. 4, 1927 

1. A BOAT STEERING DEVICE INCLUDING A BASE PLATE, A CIRCULAR RING ELEMENT ROTATABLE RELATIVE TO SAID BASE PLATE AND FORMED WITH A CIRCUMFERENTIAL GROOVE OF GREATER DEPTH THAN WIDTH, A FLEXIBLE MEMBER EXTENDING TANGENTIALLY INTO SAID GROOVE AND SECURED IN SAID GROOVE TO SAID RING ELEMENT, WHEREBY UPON ROTATION OF SAID RING ELEMENT IN ONE DIRECTION SAID FLEXIBLE MEMBER BECOMES WOUND THEREON IN SAID GROOVE AND UPON ROTATION OF SAID RING ELEMENT IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION SAID FLEXIBLE ELEMENT BECOMES UNWOUND THEREFROM, A CIRCULAR ARRAY OF PINS MOUNTED ON SAID BASE PLATE SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETELY SURROUNDING SAID RING ELEMENT, ROLLERS MOUNTED ON SAID PINS PROVIDING A FIRST SET OF ROLLER ELEMENTS ENGAGING THE PERIPHERY OF SAID RING ELEMENT AND A SECOND SET OF ROLLER ELEMENTS OF SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME WIDTH AS SAID GROOVE EXTENDING INTO SAID GROOVE INTO POSITION TO ENGAGE SAID FLEXIBLE MEMBER, SAID FIRST SET OF ROLLER ELEMENTS HOLDING SAID RING ELEMENT CENTERED ABOUT ITS AXIS OF ROTATION AND SAID SECOND SET OF ROLLER ELEMENTS HOLDING SAID FLEXIBLE MEMBER AGAINST OUTWARD DISPLACEMENT FROM SAID GROOVE, AND MEANS WITHIN THE RING JOURNALLED ON THE BASE PLATE AND OPERATIVELY ENGAGING SAID RING FOR IMPARTING ROTARY MOTION THERETO. 